Menopause and brain fog: Why the inability to think clearly is hormone-related
Menopause is known for going hand-in-hand with various unpleasant symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, and brain fog. This last symptom affects over half of menopausal women, but with a little background knowledge on what’s causing the problem, it may be possible to lessen its severity.
Takeaways:
- One of the major causes of brain fog is hormonal fluctuations, which is probably why so many menopausal women report feeling groggy or forgetful.
- If a menopausal woman is dealing with brain fog, at least some of it is probably due to hormonal changes; however, there could be other factors at play.
- While it isn’t possible to eliminate some of the less enjoyable symptoms of menopause, most of them can at least be mitigated by following some practical tips.
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What is brain fog?
Ever heard the phrase “the porch light’s on, but nobody’s home”? If you’re experiencing brain fog, it can feel like you’re constantly zoning out without even meaning to. Maybe you keep going into rooms and forgetting why you went; some people even have trouble remembering words or key childhood memories.
Just so you can get an idea of how pervasive brain fog can actually be, here’s a quick list of symptoms that are included in the term. Not everyone will experience all of them, but everyone with brain fog will experience at least some of them.
- Mental fatigue
- Disorientation
- Memory issues (whether it’s long- or short-term memory)
- Lack of mental clarity
- Inability to solve problems
- Being easily distracted
- Impaired spatial or visual skills
- Trouble finding words
- Slowed processing abilities
- Inability to concentrate
- Constant forgetfulness
- Trouble multitasking
After a list like that, it’s easy to see why brain fog is such a big issue; for some people, it can get so bad that it interferes with their day-to-day lives. The good news is, brain fog doesn’t happen for no reason. That is to say, it’s always caused by something else, and while that something else isn’t always 100% fixable, there are usually steps that can be taken to improve the situation.
What causes brain fog?
Here’s where things start to get a little hairy. It turns out that brain fog can be caused by just about anything, from autoimmune diseases to an extra sugary breakfast. As a matter of fact, even menopausal brain fog could actually stem from multiple causes; the question is, what would those causes be? Finding the answer to that question will be a unique process for everyone, but a good starting point is to learn about the most common causes of brain fog.
- Stress - this often contributes to the “mental fatigue” aspect of brain fog. Long-term stress also causes your body to produce more cortisol, known as the “stress hormone”. High cortisol has been shown to disrupt the production of other hormones, many of which are also necessary for general mental clarity.
- Hormonal changes - you might experience hormonal changes during times of stress, but there are almost infinite reasons why your hormones might be off-kilter. It might be from advanced aging, menstrual cycles, or menopause…or nutrient deficiencies, or too much sugar, or any number of reasons.
- Poor diet - whether your diet is too high in sugar, too low in fat, or simply full of junk food, it can play a major role in your mental sharpness. Even hidden food sensitivities, like gluten sensitivity or lactose intolerance, can cause brain fog. And there isn’t even time to name all the vitamin and mineral deficiencies that have brain fog as a symptom!
- Lifestyle factors, like lack of sleep or dehydration - sometimes fixing your brain fog could be as simple as getting better sleep or drinking more water. Our bodies expect a certain level of care, and if they don’t get it, they simply won’t be able to function as well.
If you happened to notice that most of the things that cause brain fog seem to be related to each other, you’d be spot on. Stress can cause it, but stress can also cause imbalanced hormones - which can also cause brain fog. It’s easy to fall into a vicious cycle, but guess what? It often works the other way around as well. If you start addressing one of the causes, the others may start improving too.
Is low estrogen causing your brain fog?
Now it’s time for the good stuff: can menopause really cause brain fog? According to 60% of menopausal women, the answer is “you’d better believe it does”.
But why does this happen? We haven’t figured out all the mechanisms yet, but it’s thought to be linked to the drastic reductions in estrogen levels that are typically seen during menopause. If estrogen drops, that affects the body’s ability to produce neurotransmitters serotonin and acetylcholine, which are instrumental in maintaining a good mood, and in forming new memories (respectively). Estrogen also seems to play a role in forming new synapses, again through serotonin and acetylcholine.
In other words, your brain needs estrogen in order to function, regardless of gender. However, people assigned female at birth (AFAB) have to deal with an inevitable bump in the hormonal road, known as “menopause”. Since menopause is always associated with a drop in progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone, it’s really no surprise that so many women experience brain fog at some point in the process.
Improving brain fog and energy levels during menopause
Given the hormonal rollercoaster that menopause can be for some individuals, brain fog probably won’t be the only thing they end up dealing with. It’s common for women to lose their sex drive, for instance, or start gaining weight. The solution isn’t to start taking random libido supplements or go on a low-fat diet, though; some libido supplements can help to balance hormones, but you need to find one that’s suited for your hormones specifically. A low-fat diet might seem like a good way to drop a few unwanted pounds, but that will also hamper your body’s sex hormone production - not something you want to do during menopause.
A better approach is to take a step back and stop worrying about “fixing” yourself. Menopause isn’t something that needs to be gotten rid of, it’s just that some of the symptoms are; fortunately, it’s almost always possible to help your body handle the journey a little more smoothly. How can you make this happen? By giving your body the tools it needs to function well, menopause or not.
- Eat less-processed food - if over half of your diet comes from foods with complicated ingredient lists, you aren’t doing yourself any favors. Instead, focus on whole foods like meat, eggs, butter, and a variety of fruits and veggies. It’s definitely fine to pamper yourself with some comfort foods here and there; just make sure you’re meeting your nutritional as well as emotional needs!
- Reduce stress - whether your body is freaking out because it isn’t getting enough sleep, or you’re freaking out because life is just coming at you too fast, that’ll almost certainly have a negative impact on menopause symptoms. Prioritize getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night, say “no” more often, or brainstorm other ways to dial down your stress levels.
- At-home lab testing - balancing your hormones is hard when you don’t exactly know what they’re doing; it’s like trying to hit a bullseye in the dark. Ordering some at-home lab tests can give you the answers you need, as well as point you in the right direction as you try to conquer menopausal brain fog.
So yes, it’s safe to say that brain fog is normal during menopause - but that doesn’t mean it has to be. In some respects, brain fog caused by menopause is similar to brain fog caused by anything else. Even if you can’t completely remove the root cause, there’s a good chance that you can minimize how much it affects your life.
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Struggling with brain fog?
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